The 2026 West Bengal Assembly election has gone down as a historic political transition in the state’s history. The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) has secured a full majority in West Bengal for the first time, bringing an end to the 15-year rule of the Trinamool Congress (TMC). Senior BJP leader Suvendu Adhikari has been elected leader of the BJP legislature party, paving the way for him to become West Bengal’s first BJP Chief Minister.

This is the same Suvendu Adhikari who first defeated Mamata Banerjee in Nandigram in 2021 and has now emerged as the biggest political face in Bengal politics after defeating her again in Bhabanipur in 2026. Adhikari defeated Mamata Banerjee in Bhabanipur by 15,105 votes.

Once Mamata’s Close Aide, Now Her Biggest Political Rival

Suvendu Adhikari’s political journey began with the Trinamool Congress itself. His father, Sisir Adhikari, has been a prominent figure in Bengal politics, while the Adhikari family has long held influence in East Midnapore.

Suvendu started his political career with the Congress in the 1990s, but joined the Trinamool Congress alongside Mamata Banerjee in 1998. His active role in the Singur and Nandigram movements gave him a strong identity in Bengal politics. Political analysts believe that while the Nandigram movement played a key role in bringing Mamata Banerjee to power, it also established Suvendu Adhikari as one of the strongest organisational faces of the TMC.

However, over time, differences with the party leadership began to grow. Particularly after the rise of Abhishek Banerjee within the party, the distance between Suvendu Adhikari and the TMC leadership became increasingly visible. Eventually, in 2020, he joined the BJP.

The Political Battle That Began in Nandigram

In the 2021 Assembly elections, Mamata Banerjee personally contested from Nandigram to challenge Suvendu Adhikari. The election became one of the most talked-about political battles in Bengal’s history. Adhikari’s victory over Mamata sent a massive political message, although the TMC managed to retain power in the state at the time.

Mamata Banerjee later made a comeback through the Bhabanipur by-election, but in the 2026 elections, the BJP turned Bhabanipur itself into the biggest political symbol against the TMC.

Bhabanipur Defeat Changed Bengal Politics

Bhabanipur had long been considered Mamata Banerjee’s safest political stronghold. After becoming Chief Minister in 2011, she entered the Assembly through a by-election from the same seat. She also registered massive victories there in 2016 and 2021.

But this time, the contest was entirely different. During the initial rounds of counting, both Mamata Banerjee and Suvendu Adhikari alternated in the lead. In the final rounds, however, the BJP steadily gained momentum and Adhikari eventually secured a decisive victory.

Political observers believe Mamata Banerjee’s defeat in Bhabanipur is not merely the loss of a constituency, but a signal of a major political shift in West Bengal.

BJP’s Historic Rise

After being limited to just 77 seats in 2021, the BJP has now won 208 seats and secured a clear majority in the Assembly. Analysts attribute the party’s success to its expansion in rural areas, consolidation of Hindu votes, corruption allegations against the TMC government, and Suvendu Adhikari’s aggressive political strategy.

BJP leaders have described the verdict as a “mandate for change,” while the TMC has raised questions over the electoral process. Mamata Banerjee alleged after the results that the election had been “looted” and claimed that pressure tactics and violence were used in several places. However, both the BJP and the Election Commission rejected the allegations.

A New Political Beginning in Bengal

With Suvendu Adhikari set to become Chief Minister, West Bengal is poised to witness its first-ever BJP government. Political analysts say this is not merely a change of government, but an indication of a deeper transformation in Bengal’s political culture.

Attention will now shift to how the BJP converts its electoral success into governance and how Suvendu Adhikari handles Bengal’s complex social and political challenges.

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